


Rosemary

by Lxaticia



Category: Atelier Ayesha, アトリエ | Atelier & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 01:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1710509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lxaticia/pseuds/Lxaticia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-game, Ayesha struggles to cope with Nio's disappearance. </p><p>"Though she was the first to suggest they should stop the search, Ayesha wasn't the first to offer flowers at her sister's grave."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rosemary

Though she was the first to suggest they should stop the search, Ayesha wasn't the first to offer flowers at her sister's grave. 

When Nio first disappeared, Ayesha was out every day and night, scavenging for any hints or clues that could tell her of her sister's whereabouts as she traced all the steps her sister could have taken in their ever-so-familiar herbal garden. Yet, tried as she might, Ayesha's effort was rewarded with nothing. The few footsteps that still lingered on the dirt of their backyard and Nio's herb basket lying in the middle of the ruins only told her of what she had already known; that her sister, as always, was gathering medicinal herbs for Ayesha's sake that day. 

The people around her were so kind then and all her friends and nearby villagers helped her search for Nio for as long as they could. Ernie, who though had business elsewhere, took the time out of hectic work schedule to help organize the search in Ayesha's place, comforting her with gentle smiles and encouraging words as he helped her take care of herself by providing food and other necessities in place of the sister she had lost. Regina, who already had the demanding job as a prospector, came by to help with the search every single day after her work was done, even bringing a couple of her co-workers with her. Though tired from her strenuous task, she always stayed till it was late, too dark and unsafe to wander outside anymore. And when Ernie wasn't there, she was the one who cook for Ayesha, just like when they first met, when Regina first came and when her grandfather and sister were still with her in their workshop. Even the other villagers from Riesengang, who only knew her from passing, or only knew her grandfather, did their best to do their part. The men would go down the cliffs that Ayesha couldn't climb down, partly because she wasn't able to, but also because she couldn't try, dreading of the things she could find hidden in the ravine, as the women provided the search party with the once warm meals and cold drinks. Then they all would pass on the story about a sister of an apothecary who had gone missing to any travelers who passed through, banking on the slim hope that Nio could have been found beforehand by someone else. 

But, as time went by, fewer and fewer people came. When days became weeks and weeks became months, Ayesha knew what everyone thought even when no words were spoken: her sister was no longer in this world. As dazed and inattentive as she normally was, Ayesha could still hear the whispers and notice the looks of the people around her. Their voices were deliberately low, as if careful to not let her hear them, and their eyes were full of remorse and pity, as if they had done something to feel guilty about, as if they felt sorry for the woman in front of them. Truth to be told, she could understand their feelings as she herself was beginning to realize where that dread she felt when she approached those cliffs stemmed from. Though she was being suffocated slowly by her doubts and fears that grew day by day, whenever one of the men returned after their exploration, there was always a part of her that feared more of what they might had found. She didn't dare let out the breath that was stuck in her throat until after they told her that they found nothing, instead of the things she kept seeing in her worst nightmares. 

Still, Ayesha was Nio's elder sister, a fact that she kept reminding herself in her most difficult times. As her big sister, it was up to her to have faith, as difficult as it might be, in Nio's safe return. She would keep up the search for as long as it took, if it meant that Nio would come back to her, safe and sound. But as months passed, the search party dwindled little by little until only a handful remained. She knew that this was understandable; they all had their own lives to lead, after all. Yet, a part of her couldn't help but be angry, resentful as to how they would abandon her sister like this. Still, some remained, persuaded by her friends to stay. Tired as they were, Ernie and Regina never stopped being there for her, always with smiles on their faces as they did their best to ease Ayesha's anxiety. But even their best was not enough to hide the dark circles under their eyes and the haggard figures that were proof enough of their own fatigue; the once cheerful Ernie was torn between helping Ayesha and his workload, his smile forced through his weariness. Regina was no better; her abundance energy was but a shallow imitation of their former self, worn out from balancing her demanding job and helping Ayesha at the same time. 

She couldn't let them do that to themselves for her sake, not after what happened to her sister. No matter how desperately she wanted to keep looking, no matter how she still believed--needed to believe--that her sister was still alive, she couldn't stand seeing her friends hurt themselves like this. For the first time after thanking them many months ago for helping her find her sister, Ayesha addressed all the remaining participants as a group, thanking them for their assistance once more, before saying that they had done enough, that it was all right for them to stop. 

Though many villagers had intended to quit already, they were still apologetic when Ayesha announced her intention, in a way, a sign of how kind they still were. She was comforted and encouraged with kind words as they gave their consolation. Her friends were there, both concerned and full of regret, taking Ayesha's burdens as their own. For her part, Ayesha did her best to not worry her friends, concealing her grief with a plastered smile; unfortunately, she knew she hadn't done a very good job at it when she was greeted with a tearful hug from Regina and another look of remorse from Ernie. 

Now that Nio was presumed dead, everyone elected to erect a grave in their family herbal garden out of respect for her. Though she thanked all who worked on the memorial, she was unable to visit it herself after its construction was finished; the first step she took alone overwhelmed her with the memories of her time with Nio too much for her to keep going. Several days past before she could bring herself to put her own offerings on it. To her surprise, someone had already decorated the gravestone with flowers. It was likely Ernie who had placed them; the bouquet was a mixture of pink and white blossoms, Nio's favorite colors, and the only one who knew it other than herself would have to be him. Carefully laying down the rosemaries in her hands, Ayesha sat in front of the headstone and for the first time, she let out the tears she had been holding back in front of others, now surrounded by only the soothing green grass field she and Nio used to play in. 

From then on, Ayesha came by almost everyday to talk to the gravestone, as if her sister could hear her. The first days were the hardest; she could only cry, asking questions that the headstone had no answers. As those days passed, however, she would come to speak to it, as if it was Nio herself, talking about her days, how she was doing with Ernie's job now that she had regained herself, and all other things she had been doing now that Nio wasn't there to clean up after her anymore. Perhaps, someday, she might eventually come to see this memorial for what it was intended to be, but for now, she would treat it as a place where she hoped her sister would return to. 

All so that one day, she would be the first to welcome her sister when she came home.


End file.
